Display-rack.



W. M. WILMORE.

DISPLAY RACK.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, 1908.

Patented Apr. 20, 1909.

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W. M. WILMORE.

DISPLAY RACK.

APPLICATION FILED my 26, 11398.

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7 l I N I i 6mm,

W. M. WILMORE.

DISPLAY RACK.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, 1908.

91 8,937. Patented Apr. 20, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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WILLIS 3M. WILMORE,

or VAN WERT, OHIO.

DISPLAY-RACK.

Specification of Letters ?atent.

Patented April 20, 1909.

Application filed Kay 26, 1908. Serial No. 485,065.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIS M. WILMORE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Van Wert, in the county of Van WVert and State of Ohio, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Display-Racks, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to display racks, designed for the advantageousdisplay for merchandise of various kinds, the object of the inventionbeing to provide a rack embodying a plurality of holders arran ed in anendless series upon chain's combine with operating and guiding shaftsand sprocket wheels together with means for im arting movement to saidchains and propel ing the carriers to a substantial elliptical path sothat they will not interfere-with each other in order to properlydisplay the goods carried thereby. a

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby thecarriers either with or without the goods thereon 'ma' be readilydetached from the remainder of the apparatus and reattached thereto.

With the above and other objects in view, the nature of which will morefully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as herein fullydescribed, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings :-Figure 1 is a vertical transverse sectionthrough a display rack embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is afront elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical transversesection-through a rack modified to adapt a portion thereof to beconnected to a ceiling or overhead support. Fig. 4 is a front elevationof the same. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the rack especially adaptedfor carrying rolls of merchandise. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of theupper portion thereof, showing the sprocket wheels in section. Fig. 7 isa plan view partly in section of one of-the hanger rods or carriers.Fig. 8 is a similar view showing a slight modification. Fi 9 is aperspective view of one of the chain links.

The rack frame is composed of a plurality of standards 1 and 2 connectedat their lower ends to a suitable base 3 and connected at their upperends by cross bars 4. The frame as a whole may be constructed either ofwood or metal or metal tubing as illustrated respectively in Figs. 1, 3and 5, this not being essential as the construction of the frame and thematerial of which the same is composed may be widely varied withoutdeparting from the principle of the invention.

In the preferred form of the invention, I provide upper and lower setsof sprocket wheels 5 and 6 as shown in Fig. 1, the same being journaledon stud shafts 7 connected -with the rack frame, 8 designating parallelchains which run around the sprocket wheels 5 and 6 in the mannerillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. Each of the chains is composed of linkseach comprising an open center rectangular'body 8' provlded at one endwith a h'ookt) adapted to engage the cross bar 10 of the adjacent lengthwhereby the links may be readily disconnected from each other so as toenable the carriers or rods herein tance apart. Certain of the links areprovided at opposite sides with outwardly projecting lugs 11 and 12which are adapted to receive the journals of the carriers.

here the display rack is to be used for the supportof articles such assuits, hats, shoes and the like, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, certain ofthe rods or carriers 13 will have suspended therefrom trays or baskets14 adapted to receive the smaller articles while alternate supportingrods or carriers 13 will be supplied with coat hangers 15 adapted thetrousers and vests adapted to be deposited in the baskets or trays 14 aswill be readily understood by reference to Fig. 1. By reference to Fig.2, it" will be observed that the supports or carriers for the baskets,liare' in the form of short rods or studs 17 from the inner ends ofwhich the baskets aresuspended so that the baskets will readily pass bythe sprocket wheels 5 and 6 at the top and bottom of the display rack.

The means for operating the movable parts of the rack may consist of ahand crank 1.8 upon-the shaft of which is mounted a sprocket wheel 19from which a chain 20 extends upward around a sprocket 21 in a shaft .22journaled in bearings at the top of shaft 22 and around another sprocketwheel 25 on the shaft of one of the upper sprocket wheels 5. Thisprovides for drivin the chains from the top which will be found moreeffective and practical in lifting the articles by a pulling action onthe chain rather than by a pushing action which would forv the supportof coats as indicated at 16,

the display frame, while another chain 23. passes-around a sprocketwheel 24 on the.

after described to be set at the desired disthere follow the location ofthe driving mechanism at the bottom of the display frame so as to driveone of the lower sprockets instead the top shaft 22 to one of the uppersprocket wheels 5 by which a short chain 30 running around a sprocketwheel 31 on the top shaft and around another sprocket wheel 32 on theshaft of the sprocket wheel 5 as clearly shown in Fig. 2. I

In lieu of the arrangement shown in Fi s. 1 and 2, short floor standards33 may e used as shown in'Figs. 3 and 4 while the upper sprocket wheelsmaybe supported by ceiling hangers 34 adapted to be secured to a ceilmgor other overhead support thus doing away with the standards 1 and 2shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In like manner the motor indicated at 26 may bemounted in a ceilin hanger 36 and motion communicated from to one of theupper sprocket wheels by a driving belt 37 passing around a pulley 38 onshaft of the motor and also around a larger pulley 39 on the shaft toone of the upper sprockets. In Figs. 2, 3 and 4 the top shaft is omittedso as to allow the use of the larger shelves indicated at 40 and insteadof having two sets of upper sprocket wheels 5 as shown in Fig. 1, theremay be a single set of sprocket wheels of larger diameter as shown at41.

In Figs. 3 and 4, I have also shown means for operating the rack by handconsistingof a hand operated crank 42 on the shaft to which is arrangeda sprocket wheel 43 from which a chain 44 extends upward around anothersprocket wheel 45 on the shaft of one of the upper sprocket wheels 41.

Where the rack is intended for use in displaying rolls of merchandise,it is preferred to construct and arrange the same as shownin Figs. 5 and6 for which it will be observed that single side standards 46 areemployed connected at their lower ends 'to base board pieces 47. Onaccount of the relatively small diameter of the rolls of merchandiseindicated at 48, the upper and lower sprocket wheels 49 and 50 may bemade correspondingly smaller and in addition to extending the top shaft51 across between the standards and upper sprocket wheels, a lower shaft52 may be likewise extended entirely across the frame between the lowersprocket wheels, thus enabling both sets of sprocket. wheels to bemounted upon the respective shafts 51 and 52. The top shaft as shown isprovided with an additional sprocket wheel 53 to which a chain asepieces 47 while 58 desi either from a hand power or motor driven devicemay lead for imparting motion to the movable parts of the display rack.In Fig. 5, I have shown a hand crank 54 having on the shaft thereof asprocket wheel 55 from which a chain 56 extends upward around thesprocket wheel 53for driving the mechanism by hand. It will beunderstood that a sprocket chain may be led from the Wheel 53 to asuitable motor similar to the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

57 designates stay rods or braces interposed between the standards 46and the ates turn buckles for producing the desired tension on saidbracerods or stays.

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have shown the carriers in the form of rollersadapted to contain material in sheet form such as ru s, linoleum, oilcloth and the like, 59 deslgnating one of the rollers. In order toprovide for readily attaching and detaching said carriers or rollers,each is rovided with end journals 60 and 61 whic are receivable in thelugs of oppositely located links 8.

Referring particularly to Fig. 7, it will be seen that a spring'cli 62is employed to revent disengagement between the journa at one end of theroller and the adjacent link, said sprin clip being shown as connectedto the journa and embracing one of the lugs of the adjacent link.However, said spring clip 62 may be connected to one of the lugs of thelink as shown in Fig. 8, while the rear end thereof is adapted to engageover a circumferential flange 63 on the adjacent end of the roller. Theroller shown in Fig. 7 is of the spring type, and in the use of such aspring roller, the latter is provided at one end with a cylindricalsocket 64 ada ted to receive the adjacent journal 61 w ich is in theform of a sliding spindle which passes through the lugs of the adjacentlink and is pressed inward by a spring 65 which bears against a shoulder66 on the journal or spindle as clearly seen in Fig. 7. The journal orspindle 61 is further rovided with an annular groove 67 into w ichextends the inner end of a spring pressed catch 68 carried by the roller59 this locking the journal and roller to ether while permitting thesame to be readi y disconnected for the purpose of removing the rollerfrom the remainder of the apparatus. ordinary roller is to be employed,or in other words, a roller not provided with a spring to render thesame self-winding, the spindle or journal 61, see Fig. 8, is connectedto the adjacent end of the roller by screwing the same into the end ofthe roller as shown at 69, saidjournal or spindlebeing provided at itsouter end with a hand crank 70.

Under either arran ement of carrier, the latter is adapted to edisconnected from the supporting and actuating chains, thus Where anstruction described provides for-a changeable display of merchandisein'case of material such as rugs, linoleum, oil cloth, and

the like provision is made for unrolling such material and rewinding thesame upon the respective rollers.

. I claim A display rack comprisin lower sprocket wheels, paralli chainsrunning around said sprocket wheels, and made up of separable links eachembodying an open center rectangular body, a hook at one end, and anoutwardly projecting bearing upper and lug at one side, a lurality ofcarriers each" embodying a sha having end journals mounted in the lugsof o positely arranged links, means provlding or detachin each carrierfrom the links involving a s idable journal, a spring acting to holdsaid journals pressed toward the carrier, and a spring-pressed key onthe carrier engaging an annular groove in the carrier, and means forimparting simultaneous and equal movement to said chains.

In testimon whereof I afiix. my signature in presence 0 twowitnesses.

j WILLIS M. WILMORE. Witnesses: I

TIMOTHY FOSTNAUGHT, M. H. OsBonN.

